Christ the Truth - John 14:6

Date: October 14, 2015

After finding some information regarding a well known international ministry, and their wrong views on spiritual authority, I decided to make this post. These problems show us how important sound doctrine is and how much harm wrong doctrines do to the body of Christ.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: (#G1249- Servant) And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servantof all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10

There are many bible verses that have been misinterpreted or twisted by some institutions, using them wrongly to exercise lordship over God’s people, & keep them in bondage. The Word of God says in 1 Timothy 5: 1-2

Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. -AKJV.

Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. -NKJV

We are taught throughout the Bible, to honor our father and mother (see Eph. 6:1-3). In saying to intreat him like a father, the apostle Paul is saying, to respect or value him for his old age. The word ‘presbuteros’, is used in these two verses translated as “elders” for a male as well as for a female “elder women”. Not only that, but the context is comparing “elders” with “younger”.

Some teach that rebuke not an elder refers to a pastor or leader in the church, but the fact that the context of the passage speaks of “elder women” should tell them it’s not referring to a pastor but people of age.

The following commentaries & articles can helps us understand better this bible passage of 1 Timothy 5.

Though the Bible uses the term elder in various contexts, it should be obvious to the honest Bible student that here it indicates an older gentleman. In 1 Timothy 5:1, the elder is contrasted with the younger men . It is then contrasted with the elder women in 1 Timothy 5:2. The issue is respect. The scripture is not teaching that believers can never question the actions of an older man, but indicates that the method of this questioning is of the utmost importance. An elder is not to be rebuked, but he can be intreated “as a father.” To intreat a person is to plead with or ask them earnestly. It is an approach of respect, and it is the method by which the Lord demands an elder be approached.

Paul and his readers were aware of the spiritual sense in which Christians were related to one another as brothers and sisters. Continuing the same tone and concern from earlier in the epistle, Paul discusses how Timothy should relate to people of different ages and genders. The instruction grows directly out of the problem Timothy is having with the older elders and out of Paul’s concern that Timothy be on guard against the other problems evident in the Ephesian church. Timothy must treat all believers as members of the same family of God—fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters.

His approach should not be one of domination but one of encouragement, including respect and honor.

An older man is to be treated like a father while an older woman is to be treated like a mother. This would include treating them with respect. ..Leviticus 19:32 says, “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.” The “hoary head” is the head that is covered with grey hairs. To rise up before them means to stand and show them honor when they enter the room. I understand that this is the law, but there are many lessons for us here. In the book of Job, Elihu waited to speak until all the older men had their say (Job 32:4 ). …As one of the signs of a society that has broken down and rejected God, “the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient” (Isaiah 3:5). We are warned against the mistreatment of our parents when they grow old. Proverbs 23:22.

There is a persistent attack to debilitate the Christian Church from with in, they are not looking to completely destroy it, but to contaminate it & change it into something else, in order to use it for a different purpose for what it was really created. The way they are working to accomplish this is by bringing subtle false doctrines & infiltrating the church with many false teachers.

“There will not be any disassociation between the Universal church, the Sacred Lodge of all true Masons, and the inner circles of the esoteric societies…In this way, the goals and work of the United Nations shall be solidified and a new Church of God, led by all the religions and by all the spiritual groups, shall put an end to the great heresy of separateness.” Theosophist Alice Bailey, more on Fanatic for Jesus

Some of this false doctrines that are gaining acceptance in Christian churches are Western Mysticism, Catholic Mysticism, Contemplative prayer, Gnosticism, etc. We don’t find any of these practices in the Bible.

Mysticism is a word derived from the Greek that means ‘conceal or mystery’. Mysticism is a claim of direct union with God that bypasses the mind & also bypasses the Lord Jesus Christ & His doctrine, He is the only mediator between God & men (1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 4:12, John 4:16). The American Heritage Dictionary defines Mysticism as: Belief in direct experience of transcendent reality or God, especially by means of contemplation and asceticism instead of rational thought.

Mysticism is an attempt to gain ultimate knowledge of God by a direct experience that bypasses the mind. The strong influence of Catholic mysticism has helped immensely to transform the New Age Movement from being merely a counter-culture sub-culture to becoming a new source of spiritual vision for the world. Catholic mysticism has very effectively and subtly invaded many facets of life without being recognized or critically examined. Christiananswers